Paul Lambert is already having sleepless nights after becoming Stoke boss earlier this week, but it’s just the buzz of getting back into football again.

His feet have hardly touched the ground since taking the reins 100 per cent on Tuesday morning and when it comes to sleep, he grins: “I don’t think I could spell it at the minute. It’s constant, but enjoyable.

“I’m looking forward to a relationship with the supporters and to give them a winning team.

“We trained Tuesday with the smaller group (of those who didn’t play at Old Trafford on Monday) and they were great.

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“That’s something we have to address to get ourselves out of this zone.”

Lambert is returning to the Premier League some three years after his last experience there with Aston Villa and it’s been nigh on eight months since he departed Wolves following a Molineux takeover at the end of last season.

He understandably took mild umbrage at the suggestion he had a point to prove, by stating: “I don’t have to prove myself.”

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Lambert had no fresh news to report on the prospects of Bojan, Marc Muniesa and Giannelli Imbula being recalled early from their various loans spells.

“Haven’t spoken to the lads yet,” he said. “I know of Bojan and it’s something I will address later on. We’ve already had dialogue here – I want to get round everyone as quick as I can.”

Stoke City fans' favourite Bojan Krkic, who joined from Barcelona in 2014. (Image: Mark Scott)

And he reciprocated Stephen Ireland’s positive words about his new Stoke City gaffer following concerns that there could be some history as Lambert was Aston Villa manager when the Irish playmaker left Villa Park for the Potteries.

“I never had a problem with Stephen, never once had a cross word or anything,” he stressed. “I know he’s had a really hard time with injury, that was his second game in 20 months (at Old Trafford on Monday).

“I know he’s a real talent, he can make things happen, but we’ve got to watch we don’t over burn him.”